BECOMING A PBN VENDOR WITH USIMAC
Thank you for your interest in becoming a member of USIMAC's Preferred Braille Network (PBN). While we transcribe all forms of braille (including UEB, UEB Technical Math, Nemeth, Music, and Foreign Language), our greatest need right now is UEB Technical Math. If you are not currently certified in UEB Technical Math we still encourage you to apply to join the network as you work towards your math certifications, please visit CNIB Foundation UEB Technical or RIDBC, Australia.
In order to become part of the USIMAC's PBN Approved Vendor List you must first be a certified braille transcriber, we accept certificates from Canada, Australia, New Zealand and the United States LOC Braille Certification.
To begin our approval process, start by attending or watching our mandatory PBN PowerPoint Webinar, located at https://usimac.org/current-member, this webinar is updated every January with the most relevant information on becoming a PBN, obtaining work, contract procedures, changes, agency guidelines and payment process. Once you have completed our webinar, you can submit your Statement of Qualifications/ Letter of Interest, and a copy of your certificates to pbn@usdb.org .
REQUEST FOR STATEMENT OF QUALIFICATIONS APPROVED VENDOR LIST PROCESS:
After you email your Statement of Qualification/Letter of Interest and a copy of your certificates, we will review your application and send you our Internal UEB literary proficiency test. You have 30 calendar days to submit it from the date you receive the test. We review applications 3 times per year, in October, December and February. An evaluation team will evaluate your Statement of Qualifications/Letter of Interest and test results, and let you know if you have met the requirements to be on the Approved Vendor List. We will notify you of test results within 4-6 weeks of test submission. If you do not hear back from us within this timeframe please email us to follow up. To be included on the Approved Vendor List you must be in good standing with USDB. In order to expedite the process, below is a list of documents you will also need to provide.
DO NOT SEND DOCUMENTS UNTIL WE REQUEST THEM (with the exception of your Braille certificate and Statement of Qualifications)
- Copy of LOC, Nemeth, UEB and any other related Braille certifications
- Statement of Qualifications/Letter of Interest
- UEB Internal Test
- Current Resume
- Signed PBN Price List Form
- Tax ID or SS#:
- Copy of your Driver’s License front & back
- Copy of your SS Card front & back
BECOMING A BRAILLE TRANSCRIBER
For Information on how to become a certified Braille Transcriber in the USA, please visit NFB Braille Certification Program. The course takes, on average, 6 to 12 months to complete but there is no fee to do so.
WHO WE SERVE
USIMAC provides educational materials for all students with print-related disabilities who are qualified under the Chafee Amendment or otherwise eligible through a current IEP or 504 plan throughout the state of Utah age's birth to 21. We originally began our transcriber network using the same model as the American Printing House for the Blind in Kentucky; however, over the years we have molded the program to work best with our state and our government's procurement/production policies.